At New York City Comic Con 2014, one panel was exclusively devoted to tackling trans themes in comics, and the importance of visibly trans characters in the medium.

Gender Bender PlotsModerator Charles Battersby, a playwright, journalist, and the creator of the Scarlet Skunk series, structured the panel around different depictions of trans themes in comics. Battersby established at the very beginning that it was meant to be a very broad discussion, looking at characters who were trans in the real-world sense, but also characters whose shape or gender were changed through fantastical plot events.

Many of these depictions were problematic, at best. Morgan Boecher, the writer and illustrator of the comic What's Normal Anyway, pointed out how many depictions reinforced troubling gender norms. When male characters are disguised as women in comics, for example, the fact that they don't appear fully feminine is often a joke. "These are bodies that real women have," said Boecher. "Transgender women oftentimes don't fit the mainstream idea of what female bodies are supposed to be and yet their gender identity should be enough."

Another common plot that forces characters to change gender is where someone is "cursed" with a gender switch. Think Ranma 1/2. While often played for laughs, Boecher said that he thought these stories actually worked pretty well. "Forcing someone into another gender is a really good punishment," he said. "That's the trans struggle. Society is labeling them in a certain way that's not how they feel."

Real CharactersMagic storylines and shape-shifting characters are one thing, but the panel also discussed trans characters whose experience more closely represents that of the real world. One of the best known examples in mainstream comics is Alysia Yeoh, Barbara Gordon's (AKA Batgirl) transgender roommate in the New 52 Batgirl series.

Alysia's creator, noted comics writer Gail Simone, knew she wanted Alysia in the story from early on. "I love the aliens and the magical stuff," said Simone, referencing fantastical plots that change characters' gender. "Though it was really nice to have someone who could just be your roommate."

Simone was also adamant about giving credit to her publisher, DC Comics, which she said were fully supportive of Simone's vision for Alysia and even made sure the character continued to be a part of the series after Simone stopped working on the title.

But like we heard in other panels at NYCC, writing under-represented characters in comics comes with enormous pressure. "I like approaching trans characters from [a realistic] standpoint because it humanizes them more," said author and activist P. Kristen Enos. But she admitted that trans characters were a challenge to write because there were so few other trans characters in media. The pressure to "get it right," so to speak, is palpable. "I'm far more conscious to make sure that person is a good guy than a villain," said Enos.

For the FutureAt the diversity panels at this year's Comic Con, many panelists discussed the importance of seeing themselves in the media they love. For many, it gives a sense of validation, and in some cases sparks the interest to create comics and art themselves. But this panel also pointed out the importance of people outside the trans community seeing trans characters in comics.

Simone recounted how she received a letter from a father who read Batgirl with his daughter. When Alysia came out to Barbara Gordon in the comics, the father told Simone that he took that opportunity to talk about what it meant to be a trans person with his daughter. "That's a young girl who will grow up and never bully or ridicule a trans person," said Simone.

About the Author

Max Eddy is a Software Analyst, taking a critical eye to Android apps and security services. He's also PCMag's foremost authority on weather stations and digital scrapbooking software. When not polishing his tinfoil hat or plumbing the depths of the Dark Web, he can be found working to discern the 100 Best Android Apps.
Prior to PCMag, Max wrote... See Full Bio

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